Last year, Drama Desk Award-winning theatre star Jose Llana received critical acclaim for his concert at the Lincoln Center American Songbook Series, which celebrated his 20 years on Broadway and featured a savvy collection of songs that he has performed on and off the main stem, in addition to pop favorites.

The first thing I asked Llana after the concert was whether there was going to be an album. Lucky for us, on Friday, May 13th, YELLOW SOUND LABEL is releasing Altitude, his debut American solo album, featuring many of the songs that he performed in concert. Tony Award winner Ruthie Ann Miles, his co-star in the Off-Broadway smash Here Lies Love, is featured as a special guest. Altitude is produced by Michael Croiter with Kimberly Grigsby serving as Music Director. Pre-order the album at www.YellowSoundLabel.com.

Jose Llana as The King and Analisa Leaming as Anna in LCT’s THE KING AND I. Photo by Paul Kolnick

Llana will return to the starring role in Lincoln Center Theater’s production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The King & I from April 19 to May 1, directed by Bartlett Sher, appearing opposite Analisa Leaming.

Jose Llana and Ruthie Ann Miles backstage at the Vivian Beaumont Theater after The Actors Fund Special Performance of The King and I on September 20, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang

His two week return will be a reunion with his Here Lies Love co-star Ruthie Ann Miles. Llana appeared in the title role for the first time last season and made his Broadway debut as “Lun Tha” in the 1996 Revival of the show opposite Donna Murphy and Lou Diamond Phillips. Advance copies of Altitude will be exclusively available at the Vivian Beaumont during this time.

Jose llana as The King of Siam in The King and I. Photo by Paul Kolnik

Altitude follows Llana through show-stopping highlights of his accomplished Broadway career. When this program debuted last year at Lincoln Center, a rave review from Flavorpill praised Llana as “an exceptionally versatile performer, thrilling the audience with contemporary pop songs and Broadway standards alike.” The album features several numbers from The King & I, including his personal arrangement of “A Puzzlement.” “Child of the Philippines” and “A Perfect Hand” come from Here Lies Love, the smash hit musical at the Public Theater which helped him explore his own Filipino roots. Ben Brantley of The New York Times said “he should have been nominated” for a Tony Award in his the role of Marcos. Other highlights include “Chip’s Lament” from William Finn’s Spelling Bee – in which Llana was called a “standout” by The Washington Post – and selections are from Adam Guettel’s song cycle Saturn Returns. The album is rounded out by numbers from classic musicals Company and On the Town, pop hits from Billy Joel and Ed Sheeran, and a contribution from Pretty Dead Girl, a musical adaptation of the cult short film.

Joohee Choi (Tuptim) and Jose Llana (Lun Tha) in the 1996 Broadway revival of The King and I. Photo by Joan Marcus

“Twenty years ago – in the Broadway Revival of The King & I – I began an amazing, messy, unpredictable journey,” says Llana. “Since then, I’ve gotten to sail on Adam Guettel’s rolling waves, misspell words in Bill Finn’s adolescent gymnasium, and rule with an iron fist in David Byrne’s presidential palace. And two decades after I arrived in New York, when I took the stage as the King in the new Broadway production of The King and I, I knew I’d come full circle. At my concert for Lincoln Center’s American Songbook Series, I got the chance to honor the composers who’ve kept me gainfully employed, and who make me want to keep reaching for higher altitudes. This album was inspired by that night, and the astonishing music I’ve been lucky enough to get to sing.”

Kate Suber, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Lea Delaria, Jose Llana, Robert Montalvo in On The Town (1997). Photo by Michal Daniel

His Off-Broadway appearances include “Marcos” in David Byrne and Fat Boy Slim’s Here Lies Love at The Public Theater (directed by Alex Timbers) garnering a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical. “Adam” in Falling For Eve (York), “Gabey” in On the Town (directed by George C. Wolfe, Delacorte) and Adam Guettel’s Saturn Returns (directed by Tina Landau, Public Theater). Regional appearances include “Bill Sikes” in Oliver! (Papermill), “Guillaume” in Cameron Mackintosh’s Martin Guerre (Guthrie Theater), “Tin Man” in Ballad of Little Jo (Steppenwolf Theater, directed by Tina Landau, Jefferson Nomination – Best Supporting Actor) and the title role in Candide (Prince Theater, Barrymore Nomination – Best Actor).

Jose Llana as Ferdinand Marcos in Here Lies Love at The Public Theater. Photo by Joan Marcus

Lea Salonga and Jose Llana in the opening night curtain call of David Henry Hwang’s revisal of Flower Drum Song at the Virginia Theater in 2002. Photo by Lia Chang

Jose Llana as Guillaume and Erin Dilly as Bertrande in Martin Guerre. Photo by Michal Daniel

Jose Llana and Michael McElroy in Rent. Photo by Fiyero

Llana’s TV and Film appearances include HBO’s “Sex and the City” opposite Margaret Cho and Hitch with Will Smith. He appears on numerous cast albums and is also a best-selling recording artist on the VIVA Philippines label. Trained at Manhattan School of Music, Jose is an advocate for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and serves on the Advisory Committee for Broadway Impact for Marriage Equality.